This invention relates generally to automotive vehicles and more specifically to an openable body panel system of an automotive vehicle.
It is well known in the automotive industry to employ a movable hood which covers an engine compartment. Many traditional constructions have a pair of gooseneck hinges mounting the hood to the rear of the engine compartment, and a clock spring or pneumatic piston to maintain the open position of the hood. A manually releasable latch for securing the hood in a closed position is also typically employed. Other conventional hoods have been pivotally coupled to a side or front of the engine compartment. Examples of such conventional devices are disclosed in the following U.S. Pat. No. 2,672,942 entitled xe2x80x9cAutomotive Vehicle Hood Edge Bumperxe2x80x9d which issued to Bayley on Mar. 23, 1954; U.S. Pat. No. 2,620,889 entitled xe2x80x9cCombined Hinge and Latch Mechanism for Motor Car Hoodsxe2x80x9d which issued to McCormick on Dec. 9, 1952; and U.S. Pat. No. 2,311,965 entitled xe2x80x9cHood Latchxe2x80x9d which issued to Reynolds on Feb. 23, 1943.
Another traditional design employs a double-acting hydraulic cylinder to raise a member such as a hood. This is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,067,021 entitled xe2x80x9cApparatus for Hydraulically Moving a Vehicle Partxe2x80x9d which issued to Huber on May 23, 2000, and is incorporated by reference herein.
In accordance with the present invention, an automotive vehicle system employs a generally rigid body panel which is movable in an automatic manner from a generally horizontal and closed position to an upwardly angled open position. In another aspect of the present invention, an entire vehicle body panel is initially movable from a closed position to a vertically raised intermediate position, and then subsequently pivoted to an open and somewhat vertically angled position. Yet another aspect of the present invention provides for sideways crosscar opening of a body panel in a fully automated manner about a pivot axis projecting in a generally fore-and-aft vehicular direction. An additional aspect of the present invention employs a hinge mechanism for an openable body panel which is driven by an automatic actuator thereby varying the pivot axis positioning for the body panel. In another aspect of the present invention, an automated release latch for a body panel is coupled to an automated hinging mechanism. In still a further aspect of the present invention, a movable body panel is an engine compartment hood, a trunk or deck lid, or a convertible roof tonneau cover.
The automotive vehicle system of the present invention is advantageous over traditional constructions in that the present invention has an initial generally vertical movement to provide clearance to a highly contoured front upper corner of an adjacent passenger door panel prior to subsequent pivoted opening of the body panel, especially if the door is open. Furthermore, the present invention is operable in an automated manner in response to a single switch or remote energization by the vehicle occupant, wherein the vehicle occupant can raise and lower a hood, deck lid, tonneau cover or other somewhat horizontally closed body panel while remaining inside the vehicle. Moreover, the present invention preferably employs one or more electric motors to automatically drive the system components, such that the present invention is easier to package, more prone to modularized preassembly, requires less maintenance and is cleaner to operate, as compared to hydraulic systems. Additional advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.